Suspect in Deadly LASD Recruit Crash Withdraws from Plea Deal
Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez, who was involved in a wrong-way crash that injured over two dozen Los Angeles County sheriff's recruits in 2022, has withdrawn from a plea deal. The crash, which occurred in Whittier, resulted in the death of one recruit and serious injuries to others. Gutierrez had initially pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving. However, after a judge rejected the plea deal that would have allowed him to avoid jail time, Gutierrez opted to face trial instead. The plea deal had included a suspended sentence, but the judge insisted on a year of jail time, which Gutierrez did not accept.